I just read a long passage (Exodus 20:1-17) to get to a short command. Four words: you shall not murder. Or, said positively: You shall value life. How can Jesus say, in Matthew 5:21-22 that anger brings the same judgment as murder? There is a simple logic here. Life is so precious, is to be valued so highly, we don’t even get on the road that leads to murder.

I just read a long passage (Exodus 20:1-17) to get to a short command. Four words: you shall not murder. Or, said positively: You shall value life. How can Jesus say, in Matthew 5:21-22 that anger brings the same judgment as murder? There is a simple logic here. Life is so precious, is to be valued so highly, we don’t even get on the road that leads to murder.

We continue our series on the commandments today. We have studied the Great Commandment, and today brings us halfway through the Ten Commandments. Today’s command has everything to do with whether or not you can make it in the world. It is all about authority.

We continue our series on the commandments today. We have studied the Great Commandment, and today brings us halfway through the Ten Commandments. Today’s command has everything to do with whether or not you can make it in the world. It is all about authority.

Today we look at the Fourth Commandment on the Sabbath. What is the Sabbath? We see its genesis, no pun intended, in Genesis 2:1-3. It says in 2:2 that He rested, and the word is Sabbath. It means He ceased His work. He did not rest because He was tired, for He is omnipotent. He can have powers flow out of Him that create the universe and He doesn’t even need a drink of water. It was His delight to stop after 6 days and celebrate. Sabbath here is not the name of a day, but a reference to stopping one’s normal activity to rest and celebrate. 6 days of work and 1 day of rest was the cycle God gave to us. This is before the law.

Today we look at the Fourth Commandment on the Sabbath. What is the Sabbath? We see its genesis, no pun intended, in Genesis 2:1-3. It says in 2:2 that He rested, and the word is Sabbath. It means He ceased His work. He did not rest because He was tired, for He is omnipotent. He can have powers flow out of Him that create the universe and He doesn’t even need a drink of water. It was His delight to stop after 6 days and celebrate. Sabbath here is not the name of a day, but a reference to stopping one’s normal activity to rest and celebrate. 6 days of work and 1 day of rest was the cycle God gave to us. This is before the law.

This week we continue with the 3rd commandment. When we are told not to take the Lord's name in vain, what does that mean exactly? On the surface it appears like it's talking about our language of swearing/mocking the Lord's name. But I believe that the commandment may also be referring to something more than verbal expression.

This week we continue with the 3rd commandment. When we are told not to take the Lord's name in vain, what does that mean exactly? On the surface it appears like it's talking about our language of swearing/mocking the Lord's name. But I believe that the commandment may also be referring to something more than verbal expression.

Last week we looked at the first one of the Ten Commandments: nothing before God. And while we learned that God tests, we came up with a self-test: Can I give this to God? We also said last week that while the *Thou shall nots* can sound foreboding and ominous, they are words of kindness. We need to know what is wrong and what is right. We need to know how to really love. And maybe the most important role the Ten Commandments play is they are a witness to us every day that we need Jesus, for we cannot keep the Ten Commandments and all that come from them. So there is a lot going on with these commandments. Let’s move to #2 today, *Don’t try to capture God in physical form.* Turn to Exodus 20:1-17.

Last week we looked at the first one of the Ten Commandments: nothing before God. And while we learned that God tests, we came up with a self-test: Can I give this to God? We also said last week that while the *Thou shall nots* can sound foreboding and ominous, they are words of kindness. We need to know what is wrong and what is right. We need to know how to really love. And maybe the most important role the Ten Commandments play is they are a witness to us every day that we need Jesus, for we cannot keep the Ten Commandments and all that come from them. So there is a lot going on with these commandments. Let’s move to #2 today, *Don’t try to capture God in physical form.* Turn to Exodus 20:1-17.